1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device which controls a display of a menu formed of a hierarchical structure and a method for controlling the menu display, and more particularly to an electronic device which can display the items of a menu by a simple operation depending on usability by a user who actually uses and a method for controlling its menu display.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, devices tend to become compact while functions to be mounted on the devices become multiple as a technology progresses quickly, and a size of a screen showing an item to be set for each function is limited to a small area.
Under the circumstances, the items to be set are configured in a tree style as a hierarchical structure to show a menu, thereby enabling to set the items easily. Similar setting items are grouped by configuring the setting items as the hierarchical structure, and it is possible to reach a desired setting item by following the grouped tree.
For example, to change a paper size in an image forming device, a menu key for showing a menu is pushed on an initial screen, a print setting item is selected on the displayed menu, a paper setting is selected, then it becomes possible to reach an item capable of changing from the currently designated paper size to a desired paper size.
As another example, to change a ring volume of a cellular phone, a classification for setting the sound is selected from a displayed menu, “INCOMING” is selected as a type of sound which is set next, and a volume control item is selected, thereby enabling to reach an item of the ring volume desired to be changed.
But, if an item to be set is located deep in the hierarchical structure, it takes lots of time to reach that item, and it is sometimes hard to reach there because of confusion on the way or the like. An item which is not set again after it is set once does not constitute a problem but if the items such as the above-described paper size and ring volume which are frequently changed are located deep in the hierarchy, there are problems in view of manipulability and operability.
A conventional technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-240229 dynamically changes the content of the hierarchical structure of the menu shown on a display panel such as LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) depending on the connected state of the ancillary device to optimize the operation menu, thereby enabling to display the menu.
But, the conventional technology described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-240229 may have a difficulty in reaching an item of which setting is desired to be changed because setting items of the ancillary device are various when plural or all ancillary devices are in a connected state to change the hierarchical structure based on the state of the ancillary device which is detachably connected to the device.
Generally, items of which settings are frequently changed are often limited to several types in the progress of multifunctionalization, and most setting items can be used without an additional change from the time when they were initially set. Besides, the setting items include a setting item of which setting is allowed to be changed but not desired to be changed easily. Such an item is desired to be stored in the state of the initial hierarchical structure.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and provides an electronic device which can easily display a desired setting item by changing a hierarchical structure of a menu formed to have the hierarchical structure and a method for controlling its menu display.